Single belt reversing mechanism



Jan. 19, 1932. LE ROY c. scHENcK SINGLE BELT REVERSING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 21, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 u namen,

cylinders. l c s v Another object ofthe invention is to pro- Patented Jan. 19, 1932 unirse srArE-s PATENT orrics CHINERY C0., ENC., OF

rIdil RGY C. SGHENCK,v OF EAST-FIGLINE, ILLINOIS, `ASSIIIGrNCR T0 TROY LAUNDRY MA- EAST IKOLINE, ILLNOIS, A CORPORATEON Ol DELAWARE SINGLE BEI/.r enverrai-NG MEGHANISM Application led Augnstl, 1929. Serial No. 387,278;

This invention relates toimprovements in machines of the type'employing continuously rotating or oscillating working means, and has reference more' particularly to laundry machines wherein al power driven belt is used to actuate an oscillating, working cylinder.

At the present time the varioustypes of laundry machines in use can be classified as thoseemploying an electric motor mounted on the machine which, through al system of gearing, transmits the Vpower required to actuate the working. cylinders, and those types employing power driven belts and aplurality of pulleys which, through .suitable gearing, transmit the required rotation to the cylinders. The improvements of the present invention have been designed for machines of the latter class and especially for the type of .ma-

chine embodying single gearing mechanism for transmitting the power to the cylinders wherein, in combination with single gearing,

a tube drive shaft is employed. f,

ln ythe operation of laundry machines to which this invention applies it is necessary to havea working cylinder whichis given an oscillating movement. The power as delivered to the machine from power driven belts is, of course, continuous rotary movement, and to secure the necessary oscillating movement a reversing mechanism is employed which, at the present time, has required additional parts in the way 'of belts, pulleys and Vdrive shafts, which have all contributed'in adding to the size of the unit, and consequently requires excessive floor space for its accommodation. f

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide belt driven laundry machines with a mechanism which will transform continuous rotary movement as deliveredby the belt to oscillatingmovement when applied to the vide belt driven laundryrmachines with that type of reversing mechanism which will eliminate the rear drive shaftnow 1n use, and

which will require but a single power driven belt for its operation. i

A still further object of the invention is to secure a reversing mechanism that can be applied to belt driven laundry machines which will require in its construction a minimum number of parts, which will be positive in operation, and which will not project beyond the front or rear of the machine, thereby conserving valuable iioor space;

- Yet another object of the invention is to provide a reversing Imechanism which will eliminate in its construction the use of clutches, friction drives and complicated gearing, all of which have proven impractical for everyday operation. n Y

With these and various other objects in view, the invention may consist of certain novel features of construction and operation, as will be more fully. described and particularly pointed outfin the specification, draww ings and claims appended hereto. e

In the drawings, which illustrate an embodiment of the device and wherein like reference characters are used to designate like v parts- `mechanism showing a `modified form of belt arrangement; and

Figures 6, 7 and 8 are plan views showing the arrangement of the pulleys with the belt in its left hand, intermediate positions, respectively. Y

- The laundry Vmachine l0 is a conventional type of ina-chine and is equipped with a trunnion gear 12 which has operative engagement with the working cylinder of the inachine through a central drive shaft not and righthand shown. lt is seen, therefore, that whatever rotary or oscillating movement -may be impartedv to the trunniony gear 12,. a like movementwill be rgiven to the working cylinder.

as shown in Figure 6. In this position th The ymachine 10 has secured to one end thereof through any suitable securing means a housing member 14. The housing member is provided with a plurality of bearing apertures 16 for the accommodation of a plurality of bearing members 18. Mounted within the housing member and ournaled inthe bearings 18 are disposed two transverse drive shafts 2O and 22. The drive shaft 2O has securely mounted thereon at its inner end a narrow pulley 26 which is preferably keyed to the shaft by some suitable means. Adjacent the narrow pulley 26 and loosely journaled on the drive shaft 20 is a wide pulley 28. At the extreme inner end of the drive shaft 2O a pinion 30 is securely fastened by keying or other means, which pinion has 'direct meshing engagement with the trunnion gear 12.

The drive-shaft 22 is of a similar construction, with the exception that the narrow pulley 82, which is securely mounted on the shaft 22 and preferably keyed thereto by suitablemeans, is disposed at theeXtreme right hand end of the shaft which is in staggered relation to the narrow pulley 26 on the shaft 20. Mounted adjacent to the pulley 82 at thc inner end of the shaft 22 is a loosely journaled wide pulley 84 similar to the pulley 28. At the lextreme inner end of the shaft V22 there is securely mounted. by keying or other suitable means, a pinion 36 which has direct meshing .engagement with the trunnion gear 12 in a manner similar to pinion 30. A third shaft 24 which is also journaled in the bearings 18 within they housing 14 is merely an idler shaft and has mounted thereon an idler pulleyl 38.

In the operation of the mechanism thus far described it will be seen that, with the belt 40 in its eXtreme right hand position, referring to Figures 3 and 8,the belt will have engagement with the journaled pulley 28 on the drive shaft 20 and with the keyed pulley 32 on the drive shaft 22. Vith the rotation of the belt as shown by arrows in Figure 1, a counter-clockwise rotation will be imparted to the keyed pulley '32. and consequently to the drive shaft 22. The journaled pulley 28 in this instance merely performs the function of an idler pulley and therefore will not transmit its rotation to the shaft 20. As a consequence, the desired rotation is imparted to the drive shaft 22 and through the pinion 36 to the trunnion gear 12.

Referring to Figurey 1, it is seen that the drive shafts 20 and 22 have opposite rotation, as shown by the arrows. To impart a reverse rotation to the trunnion gear 12 it will therefore only be necessary to discontinue the rotary movement imparted to the drive shaft 22 and to bring into operation the rotation of the drive shaft 20. To secure this the belt is shifted to its extreme lefthand position,

belt has engagement with the keyed pulley 26 on the drive shaft 2O and with the journaled pulley 34 on the drive shaft 22. In this instance the latter pulley will function as an idler pulley and therefore its rotation will not be imparted to the shaft 22. The desired rotation, however, is given to the shaft 20 since the keyed ,pulley 26 is in operative engagement with the belt. This shaft has a clockwise direction of rotation, and, through the pinion 30 will impart a rotation tothe trunnion gear 12 opposite to that imparted when the drive shaft 22 was function- 1n Ihe reversing mechanism is adapted to various forms of belt arrangements wherein Figure 5 discloses a modified form. The same direction of rotation is imparted to the various pulleys as is given in the belt arrangement shown in Figure 1. These various arrangements .adapt themselves to various types. of ceiling drive shafts.

To accomplish continuous reversals in the rotation as given to the trunnion gear 12 it is seen that it is only necessary to shift the belt from its extreme right hand position of Figure 8 toy its extreme left hand position as shown in Figure 6, and vice versa. This is accomplished by a belt shifting device as shown in Figure 4. The journaled pulley 34 mounted on the drive shaft 22 hasprovided on its hub portion a conventional type of worm gear 42. This worm gear meshes with a suitable chain of gears 44v and 46 and provides rotation for an eccentric pin 48. The eccentric pin 48 has'direct engagement with a cam 50 which, upon rotation of the gear 46 and consequent rotation of the pin 48, will be given a sliding movement. This movement is imparted to a belt shifting lever 52 through anysuitable form of fastening or connecting means with the cam 50.

In the operation of the reversing mechanism a continuous rotary movement is imparted to the pulley 34 since the belt 40 employed is of a width slightly larger than the Width of the narrow pulley 32, which allows for a slight overlapping of the belt 40 on the pulley 34. The rotation of the pulley 34 is transmitted through the gears as described,

which causes a consequent shifting back and forth of the belt lever 52. This lever is in direct engagement with the belt 40 and therefore gives a consequentl shifting motionv to the belt.

As the belt assumes its various positions shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8, the drive shaft 20 will first be actuatedthrough contact of the keyed pulley 26 with the belt, and rotation will'be given to the working cylinder l of the machine through the trunnion gear 12 and pinion 30 on the shaft 20. As rotation continues the belt 40 is, however, through the shifting device described, shifted to the yrmediate position of Figure 7 where both journaled pulleys are lin engagement with the belt. In this position neither drive shaft is in operation, and the cylinder will momentarily come to rest. The belt will be shifted yfurther to the right, however, until it assumes its eXtreme right hand position wherein the keyed pulley 32 will be in engagement with the belt, and, through the shaft 22 and pinion 36, will impart a reverse direction of rotation to the trunnion gear and cylinder'.

It is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited by the exact embodiment of the device shown, which'is merely by way of illustration and not limitation, as various and other forms of the device will of course be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope'of the claims.

I claimy l. In a device of the character described, in combination, a plurality of driving shafts, a pinion mounted on each shaft, a gear adapted for rotation and meshing with each A pinion, a plurality of pulleys mounted on each shaft including a pulley securely keyed to the shaft and a pulley loosely journaled thereon, the keyed pulley on each shaft having opposite it the journaled pulley on the other shaft, a belt in engagement with a pulley on each shaft, and means having operative engagement with one of the journaled pulleys for shifting the belt, whereby rotation is given to that shaft having its keyed pulley in engagement with the belt.

2. In a device of the character described, in combination, a plurality of driving shafts, a gear adapted for rotation and having engagement with each shaft, a plurality of pulleys mounted on each shaft including a pulley securely keyed to the shaft and a pulley loosely journaled thereon, a belt engaging the keyed pulley of one shaft and the journaled pulley of the other shaft and imparting opposite rotation to the pulleys re* spectively, and a belt shifting device where- Y by reversals in the rotary movement imparted to the gear are secured.

3. In a device of the character described, in combination, a driving shaft, a pulley mounted on said shaft and keyed thereto, a second pulley loosely ournaled on said shaft, a second shaft disposed adjacent the first shaft having a keyed and journaled pulley thereon in staggered relation to the pulleys on the first mentioned shaft, a gear having operative engagement with both shafts, a belt in engagement with the keyed pulley of one shaft and the journaled pulley of the adja- -cent shaft, and belt shifting means whereby oscillating movement is imparted to the gear.

e. In a device of the character described, in combination, a plurality of driving pinions, a shaft mounted for rotation and to which one of the pinions is secured, a second shaft mounted for rotation andto which the other pinion is secured, a gear mounted for rotation and meshing with both pinions, a keyed pulley and a journaled pulley mounted Yon each driving shaft in staggered relation,

a belt in engagement with'a pulley on each shaft, whereby rotation is given to that shaft having its keyed pulley in engagement with the belt.

y5. In a device of the character described,

each shaft, and a belt shifting device, whereby rotation is given to that shaft having its keyed pulley in engagement with the belt.

6. In a device of the character described, in combination, a plurality of driving shafts, a plurality of pulleys mounted on each shaft, including a pulley keyed to each shaft and disposed in staggeredv relation to each other, a belt for engaging the pulleys and impart# ing rotation thereto, and means for shifting the belt whereby rotation is imparted to either shaft as desired.

7. In a reversing mechanism of the character described, a driven gear, a plurality of driving shaftseach provided with a pinion engaging the gear, a plurality Vof pulleys mounted on each shaft, including a pulley keyed to each shaft and disposed in staggered relation to each other, and means for alternately imparting rotation to the keyed pulleys in opposite directions to impart oscillating movement to the gear.

8. In a reversing mechanism of the character described, a driven gear, a plurality of driving shafts each provided with a pinion engaging the gear, a pulley keyed to each shaft, a belt for actuating the pulleys, and

means for alternately engaging the belt with' the keyed pulley of one shaft to turn it in one direction and then the keyed pulley on the other shaft to turn it in the other direction, whereby oscillating movement is imparted to the gear.

9. In a reversing mechanism of the character described, a plurality of driving shafts, a. plurality of pulleys mounted on each shaft, including a pulley keyed to the shaft and a pulley journaled thereon, a belt for actuating selectively in opposite directions the keyed pulley on each shaft, and means for shifting the belt comprising a gear operated by the rotation of one of the journaled pulleys, an eccentric secured to said gear and a cam actuated by said eccentric.

10. In a. reversing mechanism of the character described, a system of driving shafts, a

set of pulleys mounted on each shaft, :includf ingu. pulley keyed to each shaft and disposed in staggered relation to each other, abelt ,for y imparting rotation to the pulleys ,on the respective shafts in opposite directions,y and means for shifting the belt comprising an eccentric and a cani engaging'the eccentric.

ll. In a reversing mechanism of the char-l acter described, :i plurality of driving shafts, a plurality of pulleys mounted on each shaft including loose and keyed pulleys on each shaft, a belt `for successivelyengaging and imparting rotation to the pulleys on each shaft, and means for shifting thebelt.

Signed at East Moline, Ill., this 7th dayv of August, 1929.

LE ROY, C. SCHENCK, 

